Fountain pen cleaner



J. D. SHEEHAN 2,103,699

, FOUNTAiN PEN CLEANER Filed Nov. 30, 1934 INVEN TEIR Patented Dec. 28,1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN PEN CLEANER Joseph D. Sheehan,Brooklyn, N. Y. Application November 30,1934, Serial No. 755,331

2 Claims. (Cl. 120-108) I or such. fountain pens, in which the handle isThis invention relates to a hand device for cleaning fountain pens byproducing alternate suction within the pen, to cause its contents todischarge, and then water pressure to flush the interior of the pen andthe feed passages, so that all accumulated matter will be Washed awayand removed from the pen, thereby producing clean feeding surfaces andrestoring thevpen to approximately its original working condition.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a device of thiskind with a conical pen receiving member, having a lining of yieldingrubber and a metal jacket, designed to prevent expansion of the member,in which the forward end of the pen may be inserted so that a sealingfit is easily obtained by slight pressure therewith.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter with a chamber located below the conical sealing chamber,.which will prevent injury to the nib of the pen.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device ofthis character witha yielding rubber ring, adapted to slide and contractin the conical sealing member, when a small pen is forced against thesame, so that a smaller pen may be inserted and sealed against themember, and the required suction and pressure operations then made.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists incertain new and useful constructions, combinations, and arrangements ofparts, clearly described in the following specification, and fullyillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

, Fig. 1 is a side .elevation, partly in longitudinal section, showing apen inserted in sealing relation with the conical member of the cleaningdevice.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. l, with the pen removed.

Referring to the drawing illustrating the practical construction of myinvention 5 designates a combined pressure and suction producing rubberbulb, which is shown tobe of approximately spherical shape, but whichmay be of any other shape.

This bulb is formed with or provided with a cylindrical discharge tube6, which terminates in a conical pen receiving mouth or member I, -whichflares outwardly, and which maybe provided with a thicker wall than thetube 6. y

The conical pen receiver 1 is enclosed by a metal cone 8, which isdesigned to prevent expansion of the rubber cone 1. The upper end ofmetal cone may be formed with a flange 9, which overlap-s and projectsinwardly of the upper end of the rubber cone 8.

When small fountain pens are to be cleaned,

provided with a tapered or ball-shaped end, then a yielding rubber ringI0 is inserted in the rubber conical pen receiver, and the forward endof the fountain pen is forced through this ring, which is then forcedinto the rubber conew This will cause the rubber ring to roll around thepen end, by reason of the effect of the cone upon it, thus increasingthe pressure contact between the rubber ring and the forward end of thepen, and also between the ring and the rubber cone.

When the fountain pen is withdrawn the rubber ring will expand as thepen is pulled outwardly, and the expansion of the rubber ring will causeit to engage the flange 9 of the reinforcing metal cone,

If a larger fountain pen, or a fountain pen with a thick nib-holding endis to be cleaned, then it is only necessary, to take the yielding rubberring I0 out of the conical mouthpiece of the device, then thisthick endof the penholder, if pressed into the mouthpiece, until it bears againstthe inner wall, will effect a tightening contact with the inner surfaceof the rubber cone 1, so as to allow a cleaning of the fountain pen inthe manner described above.

By frequent cleaning of the working parts of a fountain pen it may bekept in better writing condition, and repairs, which arise largely fromcrude efforts to force a pen to work, when all it needs is cleaning, maybe avoided.

The metal sleeve protecting the rubber cone, may be extended over therubber tube 6 and flared out further down at 60., to enclose the neck ofthe rubber bulb, so that the tube and adjacent portions cannot becollapsed by hand pressure, to subject the feed and nib of the fountainpen to injury.

I claim as new: 1

1. A fountain pen cleaner consisting of a bulb,

a flexible rubber tube connected therewith, a rubber cone connected withthe bulb, the bulb being constructed of yielding rubber to permit ofmanual compression, and adapted to react to produce suction, a metalcone enclosing the rubber cone and having a flange engaging the upperend of the rubber cone, and a resilient rubber ring slidable against therubber cone and adapted to be retained therein by the flange of themetal cone. 2. A fountain pen cleaning device, consisting of a rubbercone, a flexible tube connected therewith, a metal sleeve enclosing therubber cone and having a flange on its outer end to engage the outer endof the rubber cone, a compressible rubber bulb connected with the tube,and a resilient rubber ring, slidable in the rubber cone.

JOSEPH D. SHEEHAN.

